An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi has extended the physical remand of two suspects, Armaghan and Shiraz, for an additional five days in connection with the murder of Mustafa Amir. The suspects were presented before ATC-III at the judicial complex inside the central prison by the investigating officer (IO), Muhammad Ali, who sought a 13-day extension of their police custody for further interrogation.
During the hearing, Armaghan’s parents, accompanied by their legal counsel, informed the court of their intention to represent their son. However, the judge asked Armaghan to confirm his choice of legal representation. The suspect subsequently appointed Abid Zaman, a lawyer recommended by his father, as his counsel. The defense team also requested a medical examination for Armaghan, citing concerns over his treatment in police custody.
Armaghan’s mother claimed that her son had surrendered to the police at her insistence. The defense counsel further requested the court to obtain call records from the Madadgar 15 helpline, which Armaghan allegedly contacted during a shoot-out on February 8. The suspect also alleged that he had been denied food and access to a washroom for 10 days while in custody. The judge dismissed these claims, stating that such conditions would have made it impossible for Armaghan to appear in court.
The court granted the defense’s request to allow the suspects to meet their parents and legal counsel in the courtroom under the supervision of court staff and the IO. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court remanded the suspects in police custody for five more days and directed the IO to submit a progress report at the next hearing. The court also ordered that Armaghan be taken to a government hospital for a medical check-up.
In a separate development, the IO presented two prosecution witnesses, Ghulam Mustafa and Zohaib, both employees of Armaghan, before Judicial Magistrate (South) Asim Aslam. The witnesses identified Armaghan and Shiraz in open court and recorded their statements under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. They revealed that they had been hired through an agent to work at Armaghan’s residence in DHA, Karachi, in December. The witnesses described limited access to the house and recounted hearing gunshots and abusive language on the night of the incident. They also claimed that Armaghan instructed them to clean bloodstains after the shooting.
The case continues to unfold as investigators piece together the events leading to Mustafa Amir’s murder. The next hearing is scheduled for five days from now, with further developments expected as the investigation progresses.
